35 replies to this topic

[eldorado]

What is one of the worst (if not absolutely the worst) book you've ever read all the way through?

Right now, I'm thinking of The Fountain Head. I remember reading it in high school and the near apocalyptic fit my English teacher had when I called it a work of self important, intellectual masturbation.

I didn't get a very good grade on that paper.

How about you?

[koakua]

Umm, probably Jonathan Livingston Seagull. That book was a trite piece of crap.

[CynicalReality]

A raisin in the sun. I was forced to read that in high school. It was so dry and boring.

[simon_l]

Goethe's Faust, probably the worst kind of pulp fiction I was ever forced to read. The German version's language is horribly out of date and the story is 'meh'.

[koakua]

What is one of the worst (if not absolutely the worst) book you've ever read all the way through?

Right now, I'm thinking of The Fountain Head. I remember reading it in high school and the near apocalyptic fit my English teacher had when I called it a work of self important, intellectual masturbation.

I didn't get a very good grade on that paper.

I agree with you about The Fountain Head. What makes the book kind of bad for me, other than that I don't personally object to collectivism, is that the writing style is not particularly good or interesting. It makes it hard to get through such a longwinded book.

[eldorado]

I agree with you about The Fountain Head. What makes the book kind of bad for me, other than that I don't personally object to collectivism, is that the writing style is not particularly good or interesting. It makes it hard to get through such a longwinded book.

Yeah, I remember thinking that in addition to what I thought was poor writing and clearly Mary Sue characters, just how far her notion of individual Objectivism would take her if she was dropped off by herself in the middle of the forest in the Yukon. All of a sudden Collectivism doesn't sound like such repulsive notion.

[koakua]

I've never heard the term "Mary Sue character" before, but yes, looking it up I agree with you on that. All the characters are one dimensional and way too obvious in what they represent.

[Rowlena]

I really disliked The Things They Carried, I had to read it for school, blech. I also despised The Bluest Eye(also read for school), it was just written poorly about a very important topic. And I love to read too, sad that two immediateatley pop to my mind, I think I might need to start the opposite topic. What is the best book you ever read.

[Octopuppy]

Marked by P. C. and Kristin Cast.
I couldn't resist getting to the end in the desperate hope the authors were just warming up. It never happened, but another like, nine books did.

She may have well named the main character Mary Sue Redbird. Oh god, it's just so bad. Worst thing I've ever finished, started, handled, vomited on or attempted to flush down a toilet.

[Titania]

Anything by Dickens and 50 shades of grey. I hated Hard Times more though.

[AirMarshall]

Atlas Shrugged. Interesting ideas, turgid characters and insufferable monologues. Would be a pretty good book if cut 50%.

I learned last year that Ayn Rand refused to allow it to be edited. She gave up her income from the paperback edition in order to get it published as-is.

[CrankyMe]

I am so embarrassed to admit I read this book. However, it was very popular at the time and my marriage was falling apart.

Men are From Mars, Women Are From Venus

I doubt I have to go into detail about the hundred kinds of awful it was.

[Mirazh]

Hot damn, it's good to be an ADDer. If I really, REALLY can't stand something, I literally cannot read it.

This kinkster who works in an adult store REFUSES to read 50 Shades. I knew it'd be utter crap before I ever read reviews. Onky good thing I'll say about it is how many women that get inspired by it who then come into my store and spend money. Okay, and they're exploring more of their sexuality.

So, the books are awful overall... okay the first is the best. "Earth's Children" series by Jean M. Auel, that one starts with Clan of the Cave Bear. I'm a nerd and I just adore all the endless descriptions of the geography, ecology, cultures, etc. Could do without the cheesy sex and other bits. I own the last book, I own the whole series, but the last book (Painted Caves) is the worst. Waited about a decade for the damn thing, and like 85% of the damn book is made up of written descriptions of prehistoric cave paintings. WTF. Ridiculous. Oh, and Ayla is rather a sort of Mary-Sue character too. BUT I still enjoy most of the other books.

I think that's it, though. I read a lot. I own a lot of books. But, if I think it's crap, I literally cannot read it, my brain turns to mush and it's painful. No exaggeration, no figurative speech - it's purely painful to try forcing myself to continue.

[Mirazh]

Oh and others think it's pretentious crap but I still love "Sophie's World." But, I first read it in Jr. High.

I LOVED Johnathon Livingston Seagull... in early Elementary, because I used to have the movie as a young kid and watched it over and over and over.

[malachite]

Lord of the Flies. No. A book by Faulkner. It was so dreadful I can't remember which one it was. I feel like I should be putting this in The Confessional.

[bpladybug]

I also read The Fountain Head in high school and agree - it makes the list.
I think Bridges of Madison County is crap.

I totally disagree on Raisin in the Sun. It is a brilliant, timely play and groundbreaking.
The play was nominated for four Tony's in 1960. Sidney Poitier was, of course, awesome
both on broadway and in the movie.

There was an excellent revival in 2004 staring Sean Combs. The new production was filmed
and broadcast on ABC in 2004. 12,7 million viewers watched the television movie of the play.
I love this play and think it should be part of every young person's curriculum. If you watched
one of the films it might come more to life for you.

[scatty]

Life is too short to finish a book I hate. Then again, I haven't read a novel in years.

[YetAgain]

Life is too short to finish a book I hate.

I agree, wholeheartedly.

I usually abandon books that I don't like, without finishing them. What follows is not the worst book I've read part of; it is the worst one I have read cover to cover.

The worst book that I finished reading was "Killer Crabs" by Guy N. Smith. I still can't believe I read the whole thing. The unrelenting awfulness of the story kept my eyes locked to the page. I haven't been able to scrub the memory of reading it from my brain, even though it has been many years since I read it. Ugh. Just, ugh.

After finishing this book, I wondered if my ability to read would be revoked by the universe, as punishment for my transgression.

[Unstrung Harp]

Anthem by Ayn Rand. Never moved onto The Fountainhead or Atlas Shrugged because I hated Anthem so much. Also, I found As I Lay Dying by Faulkner to be pretty horrid, but I was in high school when I read it, so I wonder if I would like it more now.

[eldorado]

Oh, this is a good one. I just finished Transfer of Power by Vince Flynn. Just wow! How do I even begin to explain? If I were making a Hollywood pitch for this book, it might go something like this,

"Okay, imagine Tom Clancy':s learning impaired, 14 year old son, writing Die Hard, but set in the White House. Oh, and we won't let him have an editor to cut out 3/4 of the book. And instead of Bruce Willis having a wife, the obligatory love interest is a young, strong, independent, feminist, journalist (by the way, have any of you noticed how often when they have a female charter in fiction just because, she's usually a journalist?), on her first day covering the White House, who can't help but be sway by the rugged manliness of the hero."

The only reason I was able to finish the book, was because of the occasional, unintended chuckle it provided.